Device for automatically writing the music played on instruments provided with keyboard or in any case with fixed tuning



ecu 21.7, 1935.

J. BARSUK 2,024,200 DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLYWRITING THE MUSIC PLAYED ON INSTRUMENTS PROVIDED WITH KEYBOARD OR IN ANY CASE WITH FIXED TUNING Filed Oct. 18, 19:55

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Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Juriy Barsuk, Genoa, Italy Application October 18, 1933, Serial No. 694,144 In Italy October 26, 1932 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device by means of which it is possible to print music automatically and with the usual notation as it is played on an instrument provided with keyboard.

The device enables the composer to play with absolute freedom the composition on the keyboard of the musical instrument and simultaneously it transcribes the composition itself.

In the accompanying drawing wherein the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of music printing device.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a second form of the device.

With reference to Fig. 1, l denotes the keyboard, 3 the paper roll to be utilized for printing mounted upon a support 4 which is suitably retarded to prevent the paper strip from freely unrolling. 6 indicates the paper strip wound around the receiving roll I mounted on the shaft 8 and suitably tensioned as by means of a spring motor designated generally at 13 to cause said roll to take up the paper strip.

10, II and I2 are guide rollers, and I4 is a motor having a shaft l5 and a speed changing device, which is represented by the two conical rollers 56 and II, the belt l8 and a belt shifter [9. The shaft l5 drives the conical gear which can alternately engage either the conical gear 2| or the gear 22, by means of the shift device 23 mounted on the shaft 24 which latter will thus receive rotary motion in either direction and with the desired speed. On the shaft 24 is mounted the driving roller 25 for the motion of the paper strip necessary for the writing of the music. The roller 25 is in contact with the paper strip 6 which is held between the roller 25 and a pressure roller 26 urged in the direction of the arrow 21 whereby if the roller 25 is caused to rotate in the one direction, the paper sheet or ribbon 6 will move in the direction of the arrow 29, unwinding from the shaft 4 and winding around the shaft 8, and will remain in any case well stretched throughout.

At a point 30 in the height of the vertically disposed portion of the strip 6 between the guide rollers l0 and I I is located a magnet 3|, the core 32 of which terminates in a point (or marking device), and can be placed before a writing ribbon 33 that is continually displaced in normal direction to the drawing sheet by means of a conventional ribbon shifting device. The distance between the points 30 and 34 corresponds to a note having a time value of 1/64th J of four quarters of normal time; the distance between 30 and 35 corresponds to nd I of fourquarters of normal time; the distance between 30 and 36 to fith J of four quarters of normal 5 time; that between 30 and 31 to th I of four quarters of normal time, that between 30 and 38 to /.;.th J of normal time, that between 30 and 39 to two quarters A of normal time and finally that between 30 and 40 to four quarters g of a 0 normal time. In the case considered, the device 3l32 will sign the conventional linear mark corresponding to the duration of the note played, while the printing elements 40 36, are located in correspondence to the points 40, 39, 38, 15 v 3? and 36, and each of which is provided at its end with a printing type 40 36". Each of the printing elements is supported by an individual support 4|, (it being also possible to provide a support common to several devices, as indicated for 36, 31), and is urged by a spring 42 in the direction of the arrow 43, i. e. in such a manner as to withdraw the printing ends 40" 36 from the papersheet 6.

A rod 44, arranged parallel to the portion of paper included between the points 35 and 40, is held by rollers 45 and 46; the roller 45 receives a motion of rotation in the direction of the arrow 41 that may be either continuous and uniform or periodical and that will preferably be regulable; said motion is such that a lug 48, carried by said rod 44, moves in the direction of the arrow 29 with a linear speed equal to that with which the paper strip 6 moves in the same direction. In other words, the lug 48 moves in synchronism with the paper, i. e. it faces as long as the note lasts, always the same point of paper moving in the direction 29, and therefore after th of four quarters of normal time, it faces the element 36', after A; of four quarters of normal time it faces the element 37, and so on until after four quarters of normal time it faces the element 40.

In order that the motion in the direction of the arrow 26 for the element 44, may start simultaneously with the working of the writing point 32, there is provided a solenoid 49, which is operated by the current operating the solenoid 3|, and the core 50 of which carries a wheel 5| that, due to the operation of the solenoid, is urged in the direction of the arrow 52 toward the wheel 45, thus reacting against the spring 6 I.

The working of the device is the following.

Whenever one of the keys 9 is pushed downline depending on the period of time for which the key I is pushed downwards.

Opposite the elements 36', 31 40, there are provided solenoids 56' 6B the respective cores of which 56 6B, normally pushed in the direction of the arrow it! by the springs GI, will all be simultaneously pushed in the direction of the arrow 62 at both the beginning and the end of a note; in fact the part A of the contact device it descending with the key I, will first bear against the movable contact element B normally resting on the contact element whereto is connected the circuit of the solenoids 36', 31 so, and will cause the closure of the circuit itself. Continuing its motion, the part A will rock the element B from engagement with the element C thus interrupting the said circuit, and it will bear against the contact element D of the contact device iii and will close the circuit relating to the solenoids 3| and 49.

' At the moment when the note is terminated, the part A of the contact device '59, following the motion of the key I, will disengage the element D and interrupt the circuit relating to the solenoids 3| and 39, the spring 13 will come again to bear against the element C thus closing for a moment the circuit between C and A and causing the action of the solenoids 56' 60;

'the one of such solenoids disposed opposite the lug i8, transmitting a push to the respective printing key type. r

The operation Whenever the key I is pushed downwards, the part A of the contact device 10, through the movable contact element B normally bearing against the element C, closes for a very short while the circuit of the solenoids t 60', the action of which, however, does not cause the operation of the printing elements 36 4E1, due to the fact that the thickness of the element 44 is less than the sum of the distance between them and of the range of movement of the cores 55 69; subsequently, under the action of the part A the element B is disengaged from the element C thus interrupting the related circuit, said part A then coming to bear against the contact element D closing the circuit of the solenoids ii! and 49. In consequence of this, the element 3i, with the interposition of a printing ribbon or the like, comes in contact with the paper strip 6 whereupon it impresses a linear mark the length of which will be proportional to the duration of the note, while the solenoid 49, by means of the wheel 5|, presses the rod 54 against the small roller 45 revolving with uniform and preferably adjustale speed, the roller 45 thereby moving the rod 6- 3 and the lug 48 upwards in the direction of the motion of. the paper strip and maintaining the lug 48 opposite that point of paper where the element 3! has commenced to impress the linear sign. At the end of the note, when the key I is released by the hand, the part A closes for an instant the circuit of the solenoids 56 69' while opening that of the solenoids 3| and 49; thus the lug 48, which stands opposite one of the elements 36' 4B, is caused to push said element in the direction of the arrow 62 against the sheet of 7 paper, so that the printing part of such element,

(in co-operation with a printing ribbon or the like) will leave a mark on the paper sheet In correspondence to the point where the core (32) started to draw the line. This is possible as the element 54 is still held for a short while between the two rollers 5i and 455, in the same manner as between two knife pins; in this way, however, the element 4 performs a slight oscillation compressing the small spring l2 through the thrust wheel 73. A fork element M, fixed at 15 to a stationary part of the machine, forms a stop for a spring which at the bottom bears against an abutment TI of the rod and which, as soon as the rod l l is released, pushes the latter downwards in opposite direction to the arrow 29; said rod it is also provided with another collar I8 which, in co-operation with the fork i l, serves to limit its downward movement so as to restore the lug 58 to its initial position before the core 32.

i9 denotes a suitable support, (consisting, for instance, of hardened rubber), adapted to offer support to the paper during the writing operation; 8?; is a longitudinal strip disposed transversely of the paper strip; which is illuminated from the bottom by the lamp 8i and which provides at 82 a means of reading the printed matter, the strip 8% being of transparent material, such as, for instance, of polished glass; 83 denotes another transverse scale of reading which is equal and in position correspondent in the direction of its length to the aforesaid scale 92, and which is adapted to receive, through the button t l, the fixed support 85 and the threaded rod se, displacements in the direction of the arrows 8? so as to reduce or increase the distance between the two scales 82 and 83 and facilitate the measuring of the lengths of the printed notes.

With reference to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, i is the keyboard of the musical instrument used, it! the contact device of one of the keys, which is open when the key is in normal position and which, when the key itself descends, pulls the contact element 102 across the contact element I63 and against the contact element Ill An axle M5 rotates in the manner indicated by the arrow 47 and 45 is a hub fitted with a rocker led pivotally mounted at i5 5 and bearing at one end on the head of the bar m5 slidably mounted within the pipe I96 and supported by means of the pin lilii', passing through the slot IE5, and engaging a spring Gilt resting on the collar I06", somewhat distant from the types 36. H3. 40'. At the other end said rocker It rests on a terminal of the lever H4 that is under the action of the spring il5;said lever Ii i acts as a lock for the lever I It provided with a key or shoe H6 which can bear against the axle 65 through an opening HJ provided in flange H8 of the hub 28 ;I i 9 is a spring tending to hold the lever I I6 raised;l2il is a contact on the top of the lever I it which in normal position rests on the contact i253 and closes the circuit of the solenoid 49; when said solenoid 49, by displacing the lever H4, enables the lever Hti to descend, the latter closing the circuit of the'solenoid I it which, being excited, acts on the rocker I M causing it to rotate around IE4, and therefore, by means of the bar I05, on one of the types 3% H3 40' located on the sector l22;-l23' are the types of the bemols and diesis, operated by the solenoids I24 the circuit of which reaches a black key I25 provided with contacts which are equal in shape to those of a white key and which are connected directly to the contacts or" the adjacent white keys;3 is a roller for the paper strip 6 which, unrolling from the guide rollers I (l II' and I2 fixed on the support I26, and passing beneath a printing ribbon or the like 33 winds around the roller I set in motion, in the direction of the arrow 28*, by the roller 25*; the latter roller being operated 5 by a suitable motor, has a controllable speed by means of a known device, not shown, and is held in continuous contact herewith by means of a spring I28 working in a guide I 21 and pushing the roller I in the direction of the arrow I28, insures the paper 6 maintaining a uniform speed independently of the variation of the diameter of the rollers 3 and I themselves. 36" to 40 and I01 to H3 are the heads of the printing types, provided with the marks suitable for the respective values; I23 are the heads of the printing types bearing the marks of the diesis and of the bemols that may traverse passages arranged in the type 36"; the breadth of the type 36 as well as its position in the total scale of the values considered, (the angle embraced by the sector I22,

the extension of which corresponds to a semibreve o :4/4), correspond to that of l gth J). The whole of the types reproduces the usual musical divisions, while the values of the ternary tempos, 25 as well as the minimum values of the binary tempos, are omitted. Thus the distance between a point I36 (which, at the beginning of a note that will last, for instance, fith (J) is at the same distance as that existing between 36" and 31, and which, at the expiration of this fraction of time will be--in consequence of the displacement of the paper strip 6-in correspondence to the printing type 36") and the point where the type 36" prints, is equal to the time value of eth J) ;'that between said point I36 and the type 31" is equal to /3th (I); that between I36 and I01 is equal to %th (J2) that between I36 and 30" is equal to fi th J that between I36 and I08 is equal to %th (J J); that between 40 I36 and I09 is equal to @th A that between I36 and 39" is equal to 2/4th (J. that between I36 and H0 is equal to 43th (A J"); that between I36 and III is equal to Ath (A); that between I36 and H2 is equal to 7 th (J,.); that 45 between I36 and H3 is equal to l-Z-th (J finally, the distance between the point I36 and the type 40 is of 4/4th (Q It follows that the point I36 which, during a fraction of time equal to th has come opposite the type 30", continuing its motion of translation in the same direction will successively come opposite all of the types composing the whole scale of values considered, and after 4/4th a will face the type 40"; considering that the bar I 05 has simultaneously covered the corresponding angular distance, that is, that embraced between the heads 36' 40, it appears that also said bar will face the respective side of the same type and that it, when the electro-magnet I2I is energized, will print the corresponding mark on the paper strip 6, and more exactly on the point I36. Due to the fact that there is not, in the music, a sign suitable for the value of the types I08 and I I0, also for the automatic transcription, it is necessary to resort to the expedient generally employed; the corresponding graphic will be printed with the sign of the preceding type (38 and 39") followed by a small line adapted to replace the sign (A) used in these cases to increase the value of a note of the fourth part of the value itself, this system being above all practical since that in general the increase of the value of a note in this degree is consequence of a legato di valore with the first note of the immediately following group.

The working of the device schematically illustrated in Fig. 2, is as follows: Assuming the parts 45 and 25 to be set in motion, with a minimum speed and by means of a motor, not shown, the axle 45 will thus revolve in the direction of the 5 arrow 4'! with a predetermined speed, so that the small bar I05 of the hub 48 will travel through the underlying sector I22 in a time equal to the duration of four quarters of slow rhythm; the roller 25* revolves simultaneously with the 1 consequent passage of the paper from the roller 3 on the guide pulleys Ili Il I2 and on the roller I so that a point of the paper remains always opposite the printing type that, at its other end, faces the point of the element or bar (I05) 15 By depressing a key I (white key) of the instrument used, the descent of the blade I02 will close for a very short period of time, the circuit of the solenoid 49*, after which such blade will bear against the contact I0 until the key is released 20 by the hand for returning to its normal position.

The solenoid 4.! that is excited, will give the rocker I04 a thrust in the direction of the arrow 52 and therefore also the lever H4, which lever, revolving around H4, will release the lever H6 25 that, under the action of the spring II9, rotates around H6, opens the contact I20I29 and closes the contact I20-I30 and couples by means of the shoe I I6, the hub 48 on the axle 45 thus compelling such hub to follow the motion of rota- 30 tion of the axle 45 and displacing therefore the lower point of the small bar I05 along the sector I22. If the key I is lifted, the small blade I02 will close again the relative circuit with I03--I 20;

this time, however, due to the commutation be- 35 tween the contacts in and I30 caused by the displacement of the lever II6, the solenoid I 2| will be excited; this will transmit a thrust in the direction of the arrow I04 to the rocker I04 and therefore also to the small bar I 05 and to the 40 lever II6;-while the small bar I05 will push the head of the one of the types 36 to 40', I01 to I I3 in front of which it will be at the moment of the thrust, causing it to print on the paper strip 6, the lever II6 will be restored to the initial 45 position, and therefore the hub 40 that has been uncoupled from the axle 45, will be restored to the initial position by the spring I3I and will be ready to re-start the operation.

As it is possible that a note may have a duration 50 greater than that expressed by the type 40" and as it is not convenient to prolong the sector I22 for such an exceptional case, a special circuit has been provided;the small pipe I06, when in rest position, bears against an abutment I32 forming 56 part of a normally open spring contact device I33 said device being in a circuit which, on one side is connected with contact I0 whereupon the contact element I02 rests throughout the duration of the note, and on the other side with the 00 circuit I32'-I20.

When the small bar I05 has been set in motion and has reached the end of its movement opposite the key head 40 it finds the fixed contact I34 which, through the closed contact I20I30, 05 causes the energization of the solenoid I2I, the printing of the type 40" representing the maximum value (4/4-one c semibreve) and the consequent very rapid return of the hub 40 to its normal position by means of the spring I3I. The 70 contact I02 being still engaged with the contact m the contact I33--I32I32, which is momentarily closed by the small pipe I06 causes the excitation of the solenoid 49, the further motion of the hub 48 and therefore of the small bar 75 15 along the sector [22, motion that can be repeated over for the entire duration of the sound and the consequent contact between the contact elements Hi2 and 10 Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the present invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, the claims are:

1. In a device for automatically printing music, a keyboard including keys, a music strip, means for moving said strip at a uniform speed, a plurality of groups of note printing type members, each group of type members corresponding to one of said keys and all of the keys of said group being arranged to print the representation of the corresponding note on said strip, the several type members of each group being relatively displaced in the direction of movement of said strip and adapted to print notes of different time values, and means actuated at the return of the key following a depression thereof to operate the related type member having a time value corresponding with the period of depression of said y.

2. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the last mentioned means includes a member set in motion upon the depression of any one of said keys and moving in synchronism with said strip.

3. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the last mentioned means includes a member set in motion upon the depression of any one of said keys and moving in synchronism with said strip, and means coacting with the last mentioned member to engage and operate the printing member having a time value corresponding with the duration of movement of said member.

4. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the last mentioned means includes electromagnetic actuating means for the type members normally disposed out of range of coaction with said type members, and means actuated to an extent dependent upon the duration of the depression of the related key to form a coupling between the electromagnetic means and one of said type members.

5. A printing device as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the last mentioned means includes electromagnetic actuating means for the type members normally disposed out of range of coaction with said type members, means actuated to an extent dependent upon the duration of the depression of the related key to form a coupling 

